Plant lovers rejoice! The Fayetteville Plant Sale and Swap is just around the corner. Plant lovers around the area will congregate at Smith Recreation Center on 1520 Slater Ave. on Saturday, Aug. 10 from noon to 3 p.m. Attendees can sell and swap not just plants but knowledge, tips, and tricks. Admission is free and vendor tables are available the day of the event. The vendor fee is $10 and comes with up to 3 6x4 tables and 3 to 5 chairs. There is no vendor registration required. For those wishing to purchase a vending space, doors open at 11 a.m. for vendor setup. Doors open to the general public at noon. This is a can't-miss event for those looking to score their first or hundredth plant. There will also be a free plant table, with various donations from vendors for those who would love to start their plant family but may not be able to purchase plants. And of course, attendees can bring plants to swap with other plant owners and vendors. For those planning on buying plants, vendors will be accepting most forms of payment, cash, card, or payment app.
An event like this has to come from love and that’s exactly what one of the event organizers, Silvia Ramon does. She loves plants. She started her journey in 2019 after a few life changes. She got pregnant with her son and quit her job. With nothing but time and a tiny person growing in her belly, Ramon turned to plants.
“I was bored and needed something to do and that’s when I started visiting garden centers and nurseries in Raleigh. I started buying a lot of plants and now am currently growing some of the most exotic plants on planet earth. It makes me so happy to be able to bring them locally to other individuals that also love plants. The smile I bring to locals is priceless! Seeing others happy when they find their favorite plant means everything to me!”
This is not the first Fayetteville Plant Swap and Sale. What started as a private plant and gardening group event has grown to include the whole community.
“The event is every three months during the year. The event started before I started attending by other private groups! My first attendance was 2023 last summer,” Ramon said.
There is a much bigger picture for Ramon and her fellow organizers, who have very impressive plans for community plant lovers saying, “Creating a local market for our community has always been exciting to show what we grow from home and share it with the public. We have a team that organizes the event! The event coordinator takes care of the building and I voluntarily make the event announcements all over the web and social media.”
They are also in the process of developing a website that will serve as a marketplace, Plantgurususa.com. When asked what type of vendors are welcome, Ramone said, “... Anyone that grows indoor plants and artisans that make plant related items are always welcome.”
Although Ramon is a driving force behind this event, she is not the only plant lover putting their time and energy into creating these events for the community.
“The event is hosted by Hannah Soriano a Fayetteville resident and event coordinator and plant lover like me.”
Ramon also credits the members of these 2 Facebook private plant groups in the Fayetteville area:
Plant Purge (Fayetteville & Surrounding areas)
Fayetteville NC Plant swap
Raleigh Plant People
“I highly recommend joining these groups to discover the unbelievably rare plant collection in our home state of North Carolina,” she said.
And about the plant swap, “As soon as the public walks in they can ask any vendors questions about how to grow and different types of species. We have a very friendly environment and kid-friendly,” Ramone said.